When you work on projects in different cultural contexts, how do you balance the identity of the firm with the local needs.
What I try to do is to enhance the identity of the place. I believe it is very important to always be respectful of where you are and, above all, to use “local hands.” “Local hands” know how to use local materials in the best way and are familiar with the habits of the place.
On the other hand, I often find myself importing Italian labor to other countries where there is a specific shortage of certain skills. Not everywhere in the world a quality piece of furniture can be built; we have Brianza, and indeed, we are recognized for its craftsmanship.
Companies in China are becoming increasingly aware and sometimes achieving a level of execution that is even superior to ours. China is not just about cheap reproduction but it also represents the evolution of a recently born manufacturing industry, with costs similar to ours.
Therefore, when I work in China, I often have the furniture produced locally to avoid moving crates, incurring transportation costs, packing, and thus polluting. Additionally, producing on-site ensures a higher level of precision: it’s one thing to be there and measure every week, and quite another to send someone to take measurements from which to develop the project remotely.
I really like to use local hands; where local hands are unavailable or too expensive, we intervene with our own. For example, in the United States, having custom made furniture is so expensive that it makes more sense to rely on our own manufacturer and have it shipped, especially because it’s very difficult to find skilled artisans. In our country, artisans have a tradition, often familial, and thus we are used to having a high standard of evaluation.
Recently, I sent an excellent stone layer to Los Angeles; at first, the company was reluctant to receive him, but then they asked to use him for every job! So, you always have to evaluate the situation, but if the local conditions are right, it makes more sense to me to use local hands.
In your projects, it is possible to perceive the coexistence of an experimental language alongside a strong attention to the past and artisanal techniques. What is your relationship with technology and innovation?
Innovation is always interesting and true revolutions happen only after a technological innovation.
For example, the houses of the nineteenth century, characterized by load-bearing stone walls, a central corridor, and a central load-bearing wall, were transformed with the advent of reinforced concrete, pillars, and slabs. Reinforced concrete and metal provided a new freedom in design, allowing for entirely glass facades and significantly altering the way we build and conceive houses. This marked a true technological revolution in architecture.
This is a style revolution linked to a technology revolution, demonstrating how technology always brings significant changes. Even the advent of LEDs has transformed the design language of lamps, creating new possibilities. With no need to house the bulb inside a dome, designers have created new lamp styles that direct light differently. All of this is thanks to technology.
At the same time, an awareness of the past is important. For example, while a table can be laser cut, a hand-carved table possesses a completely different softness and character.
The marble tables I create are all handmade, carved from a single block of stone, giving each piece a unique beauty. Similarly, the sinks and sanitary ware I craft in stone possess a softness and hand-made irregularity that cannot be achieved with laser cutting.
Similarly, laser cutting can be wonderful in certain cases. It’s essential to understand and discern where to use one technique over another. You need to know how to utilize technology effectively, just like with the iPhone: technology must be used, you must not let yourself be used by it!
Therefore, awareness is crucial, and technology becomes fundamental when used appropriately.
Recently, the MLEdition furniture brand was launched, showcasing the design objects that the studio has developed over time. How did this idea come about? I am particularly fascinated by the fact that each piece of furniture has its own story, designed for a specific need and originating from a particular context. However, it seems that each object also possesses a universal dimension. Do you share this vision?
That’s exactly the point. An object originates from a project and then addresses a specific need, which might not be met by the market. This makes the object interesting and relevant for others as well.
For instance, my tables, cut into pieces and reassembled into organic shapes resembling lakes or atolls, arise from a specific need: a homeowner wanted to integrate the dining table with the living room space. Initially, I hesitated, preferring a more formal approach. However, I ended up cutting the table into pieces and distributing them throughout the living room.
Thus, during dinners with many guests, the pieces can be joined together, allowing the table to adapt to the number of people and making optimal use of the space!
This idea has indeed revolutionized our perception of tables. Typically, tables are designed for dining alone or for a small group of people: it’s rare to have twenty-five guests, for example. That’s also why having a table for such occasions is often impractical.
With this innovative approach, the pieces can be joined to create a table that can accommodate the entire family during events like Christmas, without the need for a conventional fixed dining room with a huge table, which is no longer a common practice.
Do you think the concept of domesticity is always changing in terms of domestic space and its usage? And if so, how does this affect the way we design living spaces?
Absolutely! Cost is a crucial factor in all of this; the cost per square meter is becoming impossible worldwide.
So, for instance, if you have a 700 sqm house, dedicating 70 sqm solely to a dining room might not be feasible. Instead, you can opt for movable tables that allow you to create a beautiful dining area only when necessary. This concept of flexibility enables the reconfiguration of spaces, with designs leaning towards openness, less definition, and increased fluidity.
Since the 1970s, with the rise of lofts in popularity, it has become commonplace to integrate various functions of the house into a single space. Consequently, combining elements and expanding one area at the expense of another based on specific needs has become a common practice. In this context, the table in question originates from a specific need but evolves into a versatile piece that caters to a multitude of other needs as well.
In my opinion, designing a sofa for every interior project can be challenging: you can’t always design custom furniture for a client because it takes years. There are already wonderful options on the market, so it makes sense to design a piece of furniture only if the client’s desired item isn’t readily available.
The objects I design always stem from items that don’t exist on the market: if there is such a special skill that can craft something in a unique way that hasn’t been done before, then it makes sense and becomes interesting.
You studied in the USA and earned a PhD at Columbia University. What differences in approach have you noticed between Italian architectural education and that abroad, particularly in the United States?
I also spent a year in Ireland for Erasmus while I was at the Politecnico, so I had already encountered the Anglo-Saxon culture in methodology, which differs significantly from ours.
In Italy, we have very good schools, especially the basic education schools which are democratically perfect. Elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as public schools in general, are well-regarded for their quality, meticulous structure, and rigorous standards.
The goal is to establish a good study method that then becomes a work method. So, in my opinion, our schools are very well made, in addition to being democratic because they are free.
In America, unless you live in an area with a strong public system, children often attend private schools from kindergarten, incurring significant costs.
As for universities, the Italian system, including institutions like the Politecnico, is highly esteemed. I had the privilege of learning from exceptional professors, among them Achille Castiglioni. Although he was nearing the end of his career and delegated more tasks to assistants, his lectures were captivating performances in themselves!
However, I find that in Italian universities, the practical part is very disconnected from the theoretical part. This may stem from professors’ limited involvement in the professional world, resulting in a more theoretical and less practical approach to teaching. As a consequence, students often graduate with a somewhat disjointed understanding of real-world applications, leaving much to be learned afterward through practical experience.
This phenomenon is observed globally, but it’s particularly pronounced at Politecnico because the professors often lack awareness of the realities of the working world.
Having the opportunity to pursue a PhD abroad is, I must say, a great luck.
I earned a doctoral scholarship in Milan, and during a vacation trip to New York, I had the unexpected pleasure of meeting Kenneth Frampton. For me, Frampton was just a name on a book we always studied, I didn’t realize there was a person behind it!
During a summer vacation, I had the opportunity to meet him, and I mentioned to him my plans to begin my PhD studies in Milan, expressing my desire to pursue it at Columbia with him. He replied: “Okay, come.”
It was a great thrill; I discovered a completely different working method, a very different school, much more international. New York is a melting pot; even just the exchanges between individuals hold significant value. Not to mention the close interaction with professors, who serve as constant mentors, that is particularly enriching.
It’s also true that Columbia University or a PhD in America costs a fortune. I was lucky to be sponsored. Probably a PhD in Milan is also good, but I consider myself fortunate to have ventured into a different world and gained a fresh perspective. The library is perfect, the exchanges are much broader, and the opportunities are greater.
Also the year I spent in Ireland during the Erasmus has been crucial for my personal and academic growth. It not only enriched me aesthetically but also profoundly impacted my interpersonal skills and relationships with others.
I still work a lot in the United States, I have a home there and all my friends. These are life-shaping experiences that mark a path, very beautiful things, a great fortune.
In your projects, there is a well-defined stylistic signature accompanied by a respectful attitude towards the context. In particular, you have carried out renovations in iconic places with significant history, such as San Paolo in Converso, the apartment in Torre Velasca, and Casa Feltrinelli. What is your approach to handling such a rich historical and cultural heritage?
For me, context holds paramount importance – the location and its inhabitants. Whether it’s homes or shops, they are spaces for people and ensuring their comfort is key.
So I don’t think I always want to leave my mark, it’s the thing that interests me the least. I want to understand together with the client the type of house in which he feels most comfortable and organize his desires and wishes accordingly.
I’m interested in trying to understand how my client wants to live, and above all explaining, if he does not know, where he is and in what context we are operating.
Recently, I entered a stunning Figini and Pollini house only to discover a 19th-century French-style interior. While I understand not everyone appreciates Figini and Pollini’s style, it’s crucial to be aware of the context, especially if the apartment has been purchased.
It can be frustrating for residents too. Every time they enter the building and climb the stairs, the aesthetic mismatch with their own preferences can make it feel unappealing. While respecting aesthetics isn’t mandatory, it’s crucial to acknowledge that a rationalist building in Milan carries a specific architectural language that can be read as poor if you fancy 1800s French-style.
In my opinion, respect for the architecture and the place is fundamental: for example in Milan I would never make all the floors with sand, sand belong on the beach! Respecting the places, respecting the materials is the most important thing in my opinion: we should always prioritize local materials.
Would you like to tell us a few more words about your new MLEditions furniture collection?
It’s beautiful, it’s very well crafted. What I like is that it ages well, they are all non-disposable items, they can be passed down to future generations. They embody the logic of 17th century furniture that was designed to last. If your tastes change, you can resell the objects which are very well considered on the market.
These are very well crafted objects that can be tailored to fit the individual, the context, and the situation. Within certain parameters, they can be customized in terms of materials, dimensions, and shapes. This privilege of being able to once again work with the end user is beautiful, not necessarily because it makes the object unique and special, but because it makes it available to those who have it. “It becomes precisely what you desire, what you’re truly seeking—or perhaps what you believe you’re seeking—and I believe that makes the object a little bit more cherished.
Ph Luca Rotondo
Ph Michael Stanbury
Ph. by Ruy Texeira
